AO is a participant
in the Amazon
Services LLC
Associates Program,
an affiliate advertising
program designed to
provide a means for
sites to earn advertising
fees by advertising and
linking toamazon.com.

AmblesideOnlineAesop's Fables

The Aesop for Children, illustrated by Milo Winter, sold by Scholastic Books, is the version recommended for its very nice illustrations. This version is also online at Project Gutenberg. On the 36-Week Schedule, page numbers are given for where the fable is found in this version of Aesop's Fables. Aesop's Fables are also posted on various websites online. Here is a list of the fables scheduled in the 36-Week schedule and its online version or an alternate if the specific Milo Winter one was not found by itself online. Almost all of Aesop's Fables are wonderful and worthwhile. The ones chosen for AmblesideOnline were chosen for their familiarity or interest, but almost any substitution will be useful if you prefer to use other Aesop's Fables in place of, or in addition to these.

The online fables are linked to http://aesopfables.com/. While not the only site to post Aesop's Fables, it is very extensive and gives some background information about Aesop.

The fables have gone through many translations, and morals were a later addition not included by Aesop. For comparison, at the bottom of this page is a fable from the Milo Winter book, and the same fable from the online website. A sample illustration by Milo Winer is also posted to show why this particular edition is recommended.

A Raven and a Swanfrom the Scholastic book illustrated by Milo Winter:
A raven, which you know is black as coal, was envious of the Swan, because her feathers were as white as the purest snow. The foolish bird got the idea that if he lived like the Swan, swimming and diving all day long and eating the weeds and plants that grew in the water, his feathers would turn white like the Swan's.
So he left his home in the woods and fields and flewdown to live on the lakes and marshes. But though he washed and washed all day long, almost drowning himself at it, his feathers remained as black as ever. And as the water weeds he ate did not agree with him, he got thinner and thinner and at last he died.A change of habits will not alter nature.

A raven saw a Swan and desired to secure for himself the same beautiful plumage. Supposing that the Swan's splendid white color arose from his washing in the water in which he swam, the Raven left the altars in the neighborhood where he picked up his living, and took up residence in the lakes and pools. But cleansing his feathers as often as he would, he could not change their color, while through want of food he perished.Change of habit cannot alter Nature.

Illustration for A Raven and a Swan by Milo Winter; the online website does not have any illustrations.

The Scholastic book illustrated by Milo Winter includes the addition of a moral after each fable; the online site includes morals for some fables, but not all, and the morals don't always match the ones included in the Scholastic book for the same fable.